Method and apparatus for producing wrappings for smoking articles

ABSTRACT

In a method of producing wrappings for smoking articles, the wrappings advance intermittently along a forming path with several stations, including a sealing station sealing the wrapping. Each wrapping continuously alternates a period of stop in a station with a period of movement between stations. A first predetermined stop time is associated with a first station, and a second predetermined stop time, greater than the first stop time, is associated with a second station, which is a sealing station. The second station has multiple positions for operating simultaneously on wrappings lots. Between stops in the first station, wrappings advance with a single step, with displacement that brings a wrapping to replace the immediately preceding wrapping. Between stops in the second station, wrappings advance with a multiple step, with a displacement that brings a wrappings lot to replace the immediately preceding lot in the positions of the second station.

This application claims benefit of Italian Patent Application No.102018000004903, filed 26 Apr. 2018 and which application isincorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim ofpriority is made to the above-disclosed application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the methods and apparatuses forproducing wrappings for smoking articles or the like,—also including forexample articles containing tobacco-based materials of the“heat-not-burn” type—in which the wrappings are advanced intermittentlyalong a forming path which includes several stations, of which at leastone station is a sealing station, suitable for performing a sealingoperation on the wrapping, so that each wrapping continuously alternatesa stop period in one station with a period of movement between onestation and another.

BACKGROUND ART

According to the prior art, each individual wrapping is obtained byfolding sheet material around a group of smoking articles, for examplean ordered group of smoking articles and then, at least in some cases,by sealing the edges of the folded sheet material and containing thegroup of smoking articles, so as to form a partially or totally sealedwrapping. To this end, each wrapping being formed, consisting of thesheet material folded around a respective group of smoking articles, isadvanced along a predetermined path, with intermittent motion, typicallystarting from a loading station, then through one or more sealingstations, to finally reach a station for unloading the finished orpartially finished wrapping. Along the way, the wrappings are thereforesubjected in an alternating manner to stop step, during which thedifferent stations along the path operate on the wrappings located atthem, and a movement step. In order to limit the accelerations of theconveyor devices, the time dedicated to the movement step is normally aconsiderable portion of the cycle time. It follows that the residualstop time is normally a portion of the cycle time equal to or less thanhalf the total duration of the cycle. The duration of the stop, which isthe shorter the more one tries to increase the speed of production ofthe machine, constitutes a limit particularly in cases in which sealingstations are provided along the path. In the sealing stations, thesealing is obtained with the use of heating elements which transfer heatto the sheet material forming the wrapping (typically a multilayer sheetwhich includes at least one layer of heat-sealable plastic material) upto the softening temperature of the sealable layer, at the same timeproviding for the compression of the edges of the sheet material inorder to obtain the sealed connection thereof. The heat transfer isproportional to the temperature difference between the heating bodiesand the sheet material and is proportional to the time available forsuch heating. Since the temperature of the heating bodies cannot exceedthe damage temperature of the outer surface of the sheet material, itfollows that the sealing time constitutes an inevitable limit to theincrease in speed of the machines.

In some cases, this problem has been solved by providing for theexecution of the pre-heating and sealing steps in several successivestations. However, this solution does not allow much improving theperformance of the machine, since each heating is interspersed with acooling, which occurs during the transfer of each wrapping from onestation to another. Consequently, in these known solutions the totaltime necessary for the sealing operations does not correspond to the sumof the individual sealing times of the different sealing stations, andabove a certain number of sealing stations, no advantageous effect isobtained in practice.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for producing wrappings for smoking articles, or smokematerial in general, which allow drastically increasing productivity,making the stop time of the wrappings independent in each sealingstation compared to the stop time of the wrappings in the otherstations, so as to be able to reduce the cycle time to a minimum,simultaneously ensuring that the sealing operation is performedcorrectly and reliably.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for producing smoking articles which allow achieving the aboveobject with relatively simple and low-cost means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve one or more of the above objects, the inventionrelates to a method for producing wrappings for smoking articles or thelike, wherein the wrappings are made to advance intermittently along aforming path which includes several stations, of which at least onestation is a sealing station suitable for performing a sealing operationon the wrapping, in such a way that each wrapping continuouslyalternates a period of stop in a station with a period of movementbetween one station and the other, said method being characterized inthat:

-   -   a first predetermined stop time is associated with at least a        first station of said stations and a second predetermined stop        time, greater than said first predetermined stop time, is        associated with at least one second station of said stations,        which is a sealing station,    -   said second station has multiple positions suitable for        operating simultaneously on a lot of wrappings,    -   between one stop and the other in said first station, the        wrappings are made to advance with a single step, that is, with        a displacement that brings a wrapping to replace an immediately        adjacent wrapping in the first station, and    -   between one stop and the other in said second station, the        wrappings advance with a multiple step, that is, with a        displacement that brings a whole lot of wrappings to replace an        immediately adjacent lot of wrappings in the above multiple        positions of the second station.

In a first embodiment, the method according to the invention is furthercharacterized in that:

-   -   along the forming path, at least a first lot of wrappings is        transported by a first conveyor device and at least a second lot        of wrappings is transported by a second conveyor device,        separated from the first conveyor device,    -   each conveyor device is controlled with different stop times and        displacements depending on whether the lots of wrappings        transported thereby are located at said first station or at said        second station,    -   when a lot transported by the first conveyor device is located        at said first station, in the second station there is a lot        transported by the second conveyor device.

In the case of the above first embodiment, the above separate conveyordevices may for example be in the form of belt conveyors or wheelconveyors.

In a second embodiment, all the wrappings are transported along theforming path by the same belt conveyor device. In this case, the supportstructure of the entire belt conveyor device may be moved intermittentlywith respect to a stationary structure between two extreme operatingpositions, along a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction ofthe belt. In the case of this solution, the above first station islocated along a first branch of said belt conveyor device while theabove second station is located along a second branch of the beltconveyor device. The belt of the belt conveyor device movesintermittently with a single step, i.e. with a movement that brings eachtime to said first station a wrapping immediately following the wrappingwhich was located before in the first station. The movement of thesupport structure of the belt conveyor device takes place from a firstend position to a second end position in an intermittent manner, withsynchronous steps and of a length equal to length of each step of thebelt with respect to the support structure of the belt, in such a waythat while the various wrappings advance through the above first stationin succession, the same lot of wrappings remains in the above secondstation.

In a third embodiment thereof, the method according to the invention ischaracterized in that said second station with multiple positions has aperiodic operating step in which it is translated along said formingpath so as to accompany a lot of said wrappings with equal speed ofdisplacement in their movement along the forming path, whereby the stopof said lot of wrappings relative to said second station has a longerduration than the stop of each wrapping in the first station.

In a further embodiment thereof, the method according to the inventionis characterized in that all the wrappings are transported along theforming path by the same conveyor device in the form of a linearelectric motor with a stator defining a ring, or an elongated ring, onwhich a series of equipment move independently.

As is apparent from the foregoing, all the embodiments of the inventionachieve the object of making the stop time in the second station(typically a sealing station) independent of the stop time in the firststation (for example a loading station and/or an unloading station). Inthis way, the production apparatus can be set to operate with a minimumcycle time, without thereby introducing any risk for the quality andreliability of the sealing operation. The invention therefore allowsobtaining an ideal compromise between the need on the one hand for highproductivity and the need on the other hand for a high quality of theproduct.

According to a further aspect, the apparatus of the invention comprisesa plurality of drawer supports each intended to receive and support arespective wrapping containing a respective group of smoking articlesduring transport along said forming path and through said stations,

-   -   each drawer support comprises at least one first wall and at        least one second wall parallel to each other and spaced apart,        so as to define a space therebetween for containing the        respective group of smoking articles,    -   said first wall and said second wall have lateral edges for the        lateral containment of the respective group of smoking articles        within said containment space,    -   said walls are configured and arranged in such a way that the        containment space defined therebetween is open on two opposite        sides and on a third front side, so that said drawer support        does not interfere with sealing operations carried out on the        edges of the respective wrapping which protrude from said sides        of the containment space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description made with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of an apparatus accordingto the invention,

FIGS. 1A-1F show different operating steps of the apparatus in FIG. 1,

FIG. 2 schematically shows a further solution, alternative to theembodiment in FIG. 1,

FIGS. 2A-2F show different operating steps of the apparatus in FIG. 2,

FIGS. 3A-3C schematically show different operating conditions of asecond embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, and

FIG. 4 schematically shows the different operating conditions of a thirdembodiment of the apparatus according to the invention,

FIGS. 5, 6 are a perspective view and a front view of a drawer supportaccording to the present invention, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a detail of the two belts provided inthe embodiment in FIG. 1, in an example in which drawer supports of thetype illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 are used;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views of the wrapping insuccessive process steps;

FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of the wrapping obtained by themethod.

In FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F, reference numeral 1 indicates as a whole anapparatus for producing wrappings for smoking articles or the like,including for example articles containing tobacco-based materials of theheat-not-burn type. By way of example, such wrappings may be designed toform packages in the form of a rigid box, with the wrapping of thesmoking articles arranged inside the box. Or, again by way of example,the wrappings may themselves constitute the packaging, in the event thatit does not include a rigid containment box.

Each wrapping consists of sheet material folded around a respectivegroup of smoking articles. According to the prior art, this sheetmaterial can be a multi-layer sheet, including at least one layer ofheat-sealable plastic material (for example polyethylene) and one ormore further layers, for example aluminium, paper, or plastic.

In the case of the solution illustrated herein by way of example, afterthe sheet material constituting each wrapping has been folded around arespective group of smoking articles, the edges of the sheet materialare sealed together, along one or more sides of the wrapping, to obtaina partially or totally sealed wrapping.

All the solutions illustrated in the accompanying drawings refer to anexample in which the partially formed wrappings, each consisting ofsheet material folded around a respective group of smoking articles, aresubjected to a sealing operation in one or more sealing stations. Againby way of example, in all the solutions described and illustratedherein, the wrappings are successively fed to a loading station 2, andare then advanced along a forming path 3 through at least one firstsealing station 4, and then also through a second sealing station 5, tothen reach an unloading station 6.

However, the invention is generally applicable to any case in which atleast one first station is provided along the wrapping path, in whichthe wrapping must remain at least for a first predetermined stop timeand a second station in which the wrappings must remain at least for asecond predetermined stop time, greater than the aforementioned firstpredetermined stop time. The nature of the first station may be any andthe nature of the second station may be any.

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F, the system which advances thewrappings along the forming path 3 comprises two belt conveyor devices30A, 30B arranged side by side in the direction orthogonal to the planeof such figures. For this reason, the drawings show the closed-loop beltof the device 30A which in some sections is shown interrupted, to showbehind it the belt of the second device 30B (drawn blackened for greaterclarity of illustration). The belts of the devices 30A, 30B are engagedrespectively on wheels 7A, 8A and 7B, 8B. In the drawings, the wheels7A, 8A are only partially illustrated, to show the wheels 7B, 8B behindthem. One of the two wheels of each pair of wheels 7A, 8A and 7B, 8B iscontrolled by a respective electric motor (not shown). The two electricmotors that control the two belt devices 30A, 30B are controlledindependently of each other by an electronic controller according to oneor more predetermined programs, as will be seen further hereinafter.

In the drawings, the belt devices 30A, 30B define elongated ring pathsextended in the vertical direction. However, it is clear that theorientation of the belt devices can be any.

Again only by way of example, FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F show belt devices 30A,30B in which supports 9 are associated with each belt for receiving andretaining respective wrappings 10 within them. In the drawings, thesupports 9 are indicated respectively with 9A or 9B, depending onwhether they are anchored to the belt of the belt device 30A or to thebelt of the belt device 30B. Moreover, for greater clarity ofillustration, the supports 9B are illustrated blackened, so as todistinguish them from the (white) supports 9A.

As is apparent, therefore, the movement of the supports 9A along thepath 3 is operated by the belt conveyor device 30A, while the movementof the supports 9B along the forming path 3 is controlled by the secondbelt conveyor device 30B.

Moreover, in the illustrated example, all the supports 9 arranged alongthe forming path 3 are distributed in lots, alternately distributedalong the closed-loop path. Again in the case of the illustratedexample, each lot of supports 9 is formed by three supports 9.

FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F show, by way of example only, a rotor 11 which feedsin succession the partially formed wrappings (each consisting of a sheetmaterial folded around a respective group of smoking articles) to theloading station 2, where each wrapping is picked up by a respectivesupport 9A or 9B.

According to an important feature of this embodiment, each of the beltconveyor devices 30A, 30B is controlled differently along itsadvancement along the forming path, according to which the groups ofsupports 9A, 9B associated therewith are located at the loading andunloading stations 2, 6, or at the sealing stations 4, 5.

For example, in the situation illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, the supports9A associated with the belt conveyor device 30A are adjacent to theloading and unloading stations 2, 3. In this step, the belt conveyordevice 30A is controlled with intermittent movement and with a steppreferably corresponding to the cycle time of the machine, i.e. with asingle step, so that each movement between one stop and the othercarries a single support 9A to replace the previous support in theloading station 2 or in the unloading station 6. Moreover, in this stepthe belt device 30A makes stops whose duration corresponds to theminimum time necessary to allow the loading of a wrapping in the station2 and the unloading of a wrapping from the station 6.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the three supports 9A shown on the right in thefigure move forward in the loading station 2, picking a respectivewrapping 10, while the three supports 9A shown on the left in thedrawing advance in sequence in the unloading station 6, where theyrelease a finished or partially finished wrapping.

Each of the two belt conveyor devices 30A, 30B is displaced differentlywhen the supports 9 associated therewith are located at the sealingstations 4, 5. Each of these stations has multiple positions (threepositions in the example) in which, in a manner known per se, sealingbodies (not shown) are provided, which provide to seal juxtaposed edgesof the sheet material wound around the group of smoking articles of eachwrapping. For example, in the sealing station 4, the sealing may beperformed along the two longitudinal sides of the wrapping, while in thesealing station 5 a third side of the wrapping is sealed, opposite tothat corresponding to the bending line of the sheet material. Of course,however, this solution is illustrated herein purely by way of example,it being clear that any other choice is possible as regards the sides ofthe wrapping which are sealed in the stations 4, 5. When the supports9A, 9B associated with a given belt conveyor device are located in thesealing stations 4, 5, the belt conveyor device is controlled with astop time significantly greater than the stop time provided in theloading and unloading stations 2, 6, corresponding to the minimum timenecessary to perform a sealing operation in a complete and reliablemanner. Furthermore, the step of feeding a lot of wrappings to each ofthe sealing stations 4, 5 and the step of output of a lot of wrappingsfrom each of such stations are controlled with a multi-step movement ofthe belt, i.e. with a displacement which brings a whole new lot ofwrappings to replace the lot carried by the other belt that was beforein the sealing station 4 and in the sealing station 5.

FIGS. 1D-1F illustrate operating steps in which the supports 9Aassociated with the belt conveyor device 30A remain in the sealingstations 4, 5, thus allowing the wrappings to remain in the sealingstations for a time adequate to complete the sealing operation in acorrect and reliable manner.

As already indicated, the movement of the supports through the loadingand unloading stations 2, 6 is an intermittent movement with a singlestep, while the movement of the supports entering and leaving thesealing stations 4, 5 is a movement in multiple steps, which allows awhole lot of wrappings to be alternated in each sealing station, withrespect to the preceding lot.

During the execution of the sealing operations, the two belt devices30A, 30B operate in counter-phase, meaning that when one of the beltdevices maintains the respective supports 9A or 9B for a prolonged timein the sealing stations 4, 5, the other belt conveyor deviceintermittently advances its supports through the loading and unloadingstations, with a single-step movement and with relatively short stops.Thus, for example, FIGS. 1A-1C show the steps in which the supports 9Bare kept stationary in the sealing stations 4, 5 while the supports 9Aadvance intermittently through the loading and unloading stations 2, 6.FIGS. 1D-1F show that while the belt conveyor device 30A keeps itssupports 9A still in the sealing stations 4, 5, the belt conveyor device30B intermittently advances its supports 9B through the loading andunloading stations 2, 6.

When instead the sealing operation is completed and it is necessary toreplace the lot of supports 9B (or 9A) which is in each sealing stationwith a new lot of supports 9A (or 9B), both belt devices 30A, 30B arecontrolled in synchronism with a multiple step. Thus, for example, inthe transition from the step in FIG. 10 to the step in FIG. 1D, the twobelt conveyors 30A, 30B move simultaneously to replace the lots ofsupports 9B with lots of supports 9A in the sealing stations 4, 5.Likewise, from the step illustrated in FIG. 1F, we return to the stepillustrated in FIG. 1A through a simultaneous control with multiplesteps of the two belt conveyor devices 30A, 30B, so as to replace thelots of supports 9A in the sealing stations 4, 5 with lots of supports9B.

From the foregoing, the advantage obtained is clear. The stop time inthe sealing station can be relatively long, so as to ensure the qualityof the sealing operation, while the stop time in the loading andunloading stations can be reduced to a minimum. It follows that thetotal time to subject each wrapping to the complete cycle of operationscan be drastically reduced with respect to the known solutions, whichallows significantly increasing the productivity of the machine. At thesame time, as is evident, this result is obtained with extremely simpleand low-cost means.

FIGS. 2 and 2A-2F show a variant of the first embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 1A-1F. This variant operates substantially according to thesame operating principle of the embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F with theexception that the two conveyor devices 30A, 30B consist of two wheelconveyor devices, instead of two belt conveyor devices. The wheelconveyor device 30A includes three wheel spokes 300A, each of whichcarries three supports 9A, each of which can receive and hold arespective wrapping 10. The wheel conveyor device 30B comprises threespokes 300B arranged alternating with the spokes 300A. Each of thespokes 300B carries three supports 9B each of which is suitable forreceiving and retaining a respective wrapping 10. The wrappings 10 to beformed are received at a loading station 2 and after forming arereleased into an unloading station 6. Similarly to the solution in FIGS.1-6, two sealing stations 4, 5 are provided to carry out the sealing ofdifferent sides of each wrapping in succession.

The two wheel conveyor devices 30A, 30B are coaxially mounted on thesame axis 12 and are controlled independently of each other by twoelectric motors (not shown). Similarly to the solution in FIGS. 1 and1A-1F, the electric motors for driving the wheel conveyor devices 30A,30B are controlled by one or more electronic controllers according topredetermined programs, in a similar way to what has been illustratedfor the solution in FIGS. 1 and 1A-1F. Each wheel conveyor device 30A,30B, therefore, in some operating steps is controlled by an intermittentsingle-step movement, to bring the supports 9 associated therewith insuccession to the loading and unloading stations 2, 6. When one of thetwo wheel conveyor devices is in this condition, the other wheelconveyor device is stationary and keeps the wrappings associatedtherewith stationary in the sealing stations 4, 5. In the transitionfrom one condition to another, both wheel conveyor devices arecontrolled simultaneously with a multi-step movement, so as to replace awhole lot of wrappings located in each of the two sealing stations witha new lot of wrappings. Thus, for example, FIGS. 2A-2C show the step inwhich the wheel conveyor device 30A is at a standstill and maintains twoof the three lots of supports 9A associated therewith in the sealingstations 4, 5. At the same time, the wheel conveyor device 30B iscontrolled with an intermittent single-step movement, to bring supports9B in succession at the loading station 2 and at the unloading station6. FIGS. 2D-2F show an inverted condition, in which the wheel conveyordevice 30A moves with an intermittent single-step movement, to bring thesupports associated therewith in succession at the loading and unloadingstations 2, 6, while the wheel conveyor device 30B remains stationary,in order to maintain two lots of wrappings 10 associated therewithstationary in the two sealing stations 4, 5. In the steps of transitionfrom the condition in FIG. 2C to the condition in FIG. 2D, and from thecondition in FIG. 2F back to the condition in FIG. 2A, the two wheelconveyor devices 30A, 30B are controlled simultaneously with amulti-step movement to replace the lot of wrappings located in eachsealing station with a new lot of wrappings.

Of course, the above description with reference to the structure andoperation of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings isprovided purely by way of example. In particular, the laws of motion ofthe two conveyor devices may be any, different from those describedherein and also different from each other.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C of the accompanying drawings show three differentoperative steps of a second embodiment of the invention. In the case ofthis embodiment, a single belt conveyor device 30 is provided, includinga belt 31 engaged on wheels 32, 33. Reference numeral 34 indicates thesupport structure (illustrated only schematically) of the belt conveyordevice 30 on which the wheels 32, 33 are rotatably mounted. An electricmotor is also associated with one of these wheels, which is also mountedon the support structure 34.

In the solution shown herein, the support structure 34 is in turnmounted movable with respect to a stationary structure 35 (alsoillustrated only schematically in the drawings) in the longitudinaldirection X of the belt conveyor device, between two extreme positions,illustrated respectively in FIG. 3A and in FIG. 3C.

In FIGS. 3A-3B, reference numerals 2, 6 indicate the loading andunloading stations of the wrapping, provided along the upper branch ofthe belt, while reference numerals 4, 5 indicate the two sealingstations, provided along the lower branch. The supports 31 areassociated with the supports 9 intended to receive and hold thewrappings at the loading station 2 and to release them at the unloadingstation 6. In the drawings, the direction of rotation of the belt isclockwise, so that in the upper branch the supports 9 advance throughthe loading and unloading stations 2, 6 moving from left to right, whilein the lower branch the supports 9 move through the sealing stations 4,5 moving from right to left.

In the steps illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3C, the belt is moved with anintermittent single step movement, so that each movement between onestop and the other carries a new support 9 to replace the immediatelypreceding support 9 in the loading station 2 and in the unloadingstation 6. Each belt stop between one movement and another has aduration corresponding to the minimum time necessary to perform theloading operation and the unloading operation. During each stop of thebelt, the entire belt conveyor device 30 with its support structure 34also remains stationary. Instead, during each movement of the belt 31,the structure 34 which supports the belt device 30 moves one step fromits extreme left position to its extreme right position.

Thus, for example, FIG. 3B shows a step subsequent to that in FIG. 3A,in which the belt 31 has moved one step, so that a support 9 x(illustrated blackened for clarity) which was in the loading station 2has moved to a position immediately downstream of the loading station 2,while a support 9 y (also blackened for clarity) which was in theunloading station 6 has been brought to the position immediatelydownstream of the unloading station 6 (with reference to the directionof movement of the belt 31). During the movement of the belt 31 betweenthe stop illustrated in FIG. 3A and the stop illustrated in FIG. 3B, theentire belt device 30, with its support structure 34, moves with respectto the stationary structure 35 by one step to the right (with referenceto the drawings). The length of each step performed by the supportstructure 34 is equal to the length of each step performed by the belt31 with respect to the support structure 34. Therefore, along the lowerbranch of the belt, the displacement to the left (with reference to thedrawing) of each support 9, due to the movement of the belt, iscancelled by the displacement towards the right of the support structure34. This means that the two lots of supports 9 z which in the conditionin FIG. 3A were in the sealing stations 4 and 5, remain in these sealingstations even in the condition shown in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3C illustrates asubsequent step, in which the belt 31 has moved again by one step(whereby the supports 9 x, 9 y are each two positions further downstreamwith respect to the loading station 2 and to the unloading station 6),while the support structure 34 of the belt device 30 has moved anotherstep in its horizontal movement, until it reaches the extreme rightposition, so that the two lots of supports 9 z that previously were inthe sealing stations 4, 5 continue to remain in such stations. Once thesupport structure 34 of the belt device 30 has reached the extremeposition on the right illustrated in FIG. 3C, it quickly returns to itsextreme left position, with a multi-step movement, which involves thereplacement of the entire lot of supports 9 z which is located in eachof the sealing stations 4, 5 with a new lot of supports.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a third embodiment, in which any transportdevice (for example a belt conveyor device) provides to intermittentlyadvance a succession of supports 9 along a longitudinal direction X. Theset of supports 9 moves between one stop and the other with asingle-step movement, that is, such as to involve the replacement of thesupport 9 which was previously in the loading station 2 and in theunloading station 6 with the subsequent support 9. Reference numerals 4,5 always indicate the two sealing stations, which in this case consistof two structures movable in the direction x and carrying all theapparatuses necessary to carry out the sealing operations. During theadvancement of the set of supports 9 along the direction X, the movablestructures constituting the sealing stations 4, 5 move at the same speedin the direction X, so as to remain in a fixed position relative to thesupports 9 which are located in each sealing station.

With reference to FIG. 4, letter A shows an initial situation, in whichin the loading station 2 there is a support 9 x (illustrated blackenedfor clarity) and in the unloading station 6 there is a support 9 y (alsoillustrated blackened for clarity). During the stops of the supports 9x, 9 y in the stations 2, 6, the structures constituting the sealingstations 4, 5 are also stationary and perform each the sealingoperations on the wrappings carried by a respective lot of supports 9.During the subsequent movement of the conveyor line, the set of supports9 moves one step, whereby the support 9 x moves to the positionimmediately downstream of the loading station 2 and the support 9 ymoves to the position immediately downstream of the unloading station 6,while in the above loading and unloading stations the subsequent support9 is introduced. During the movement of the conveyor line from theposition in FIG. 4A to the position in FIG. 4B, the structuresconstituting the two sealing stations 4, 5 also move by one step, sothat they continue to operate on the same wrappings which they werepreviously inside them. A similar operation occurs when from theposition shown in FIG. 4B one transitions to the position illustrated inFIG. 4C. At the end of the stop in the position shown in FIG. 4C, thetwo structures constituting the sealing stations 4, 5 are rapidly movedwith multiple steps in the direction opposite to the direction X so asto move to a starting position similar to that in FIG. 4A. At the sametime, the conveyor line advances the set of supports 9 by a furtherstep, so that in each sealing station 4, 5, the lot of supports 9 isreplaced with a new lot. FIG. 4D illustrates again an intermediatesituation, in which the succession of supports 9 must still complete itsadvancement in such a way as to completely replace the lot of supports 9which was previously in each of the two sealing stations.

As is apparent from the above description, also the embodiments in FIGS.3A-3C and 4 achieve all the advantages that have been outlined above.

Of course, any further conveyor system capable of achieving the objectsthat have been indicated herein may be used. For example, it may beprovided that all the wrappings are transported along the forming pathby the same conveyor device in the form of a linear electric motor, ofthe known type, with a stator defining a ring, or an elongated ring, onwhich a series of equipment move independently.

According to a further and independent aspect, the invention relates toan apparatus comprising a plurality of drawer supports C (FIGS. 5-7)each intended to receive and support a respective wrapping 10 containinga respective group of smoking articles S during transport along theforming path.

Each drawer support C can also be used in devices completely differentfrom those described herein by way of example. C

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, each drawer support C comprises a firstwall 101 and a second wall 102 mutually parallel and spaced, so as todefine a space therebetween for containing the respective group ofsmoking articles S. In the illustrated example, the wall 101 is dividedinto two walls 101A, 101B separated by a slit 103 which extends over theentire length thereof. Again in the case of the specific exampleillustrated, the walls 101A, 101B and 102 project cantilevering from anend portion 104. The function of the slit 103 is to allow the insertiontherethrough of an extractor knife which is pushed against the rear partof a wrapping 10 contained in the drawer support C when it is necessaryto extract the wrapping from the drawer support C. As shown inparticular in FIG. 6, the walls 101A, 101B and 102 have lateral sides(in the illustrated example defined by raised portions of the facingsurfaces of said walls) for the lateral containment of the respectivegroup of smoking articles within said containment space.

the walls 101A, 101B and 102 are configured and arranged in such a waythat the containment space defined therebetween is open on two oppositesides and on a third front side, so that said drawer support does notinterfere with sealing operations carried out on the edges of therespective wrapping which protrude from said sides of the containmentspace. FIG. 6 shows by way of example how the heating bodies W canengage with the edges of the wrapping projecting from the two oppositesides of the containment space to carry out the sealing of such edges.FIG. 7 shows the application of the drawer supports C in FIGS. 5, 6 to adevice of the type shown in FIG. 1. The figure shows two drawer supportsC mounted on two respective supports 9A, 9B which are in turn secured tothe two belts 30A, 30B respectively.

The sheet material constituting each wrapping 10 is obtained by cuttingstarting from the tape being fed, in a cutting station. In the cuttingstation, transversal cuts are formed in succession in an advancing tape.The cuts define the tape portion 212 (FIG. 8) intended to constituteeach wrapping 10. The sheets 212, separated from the tape, are advancedtowards a station for folding each sheet 212 around a respective group214 of smoking articles S (for example cigarettes). FIG. 8 schematicallyillustrates a single sheet 212 in the initial non-folded condition(shown in broken lines) and in the configuration folded on the two sidesof a group 214 of cigarettes S.

Associated with the folding station is a device for feeding insuccession groups 214 of cigarettes S to the folding station, where eachsheet 212 is folded over a respective group 214 of cigarettes.

Again with reference to the illustrated example, once a sheet 212 hasbeen folded so as to cover the major faces of the respective group 214of cigarettes S, the assembly thus obtained is advanced through one ormore sealing stations where the edges of the sheet 212 projecting alongthe two sides of the respective group 214 of cigarettes are juxtaposedto each other and sealed, so as to form two lateral flanges 212B (seeFIG. 9). The fourth side of the wrapping thus formed is instead leftopen.

Of course, the tape is made of a plastic material which is alsoheat-sealable.

Means are provided for the purpose of folding the flanges 212B, aftersealing, against the two sides of the wrapping 10 thus formed.

As already indicated, in this step of this embodiment of the method, oneside of the wrapping consisting of the sheet 212 is still open andextends beyond the ends of the cigarettes S contained therein (see FIG.9).

Again with reference to FIG. 8, the wrapping exiting from the stationcontinues towards one or more heating stations.

The, or each, heating station includes a heating device, configured andcontrolled so as to obtain the heat-shrinking of the sheet 212 aroundthe group of cigarettes contained therein. For example, hot air heatingmay be provided, or heating by one or more infrared lamps, or heating byhot metal plates. In any case, the examples of heaters provided hereinshould not be understood in a limiting sense. Each station may be forexample in the form of a tunnel, through which the wrappings are made toadvance by means of conveyor means, with continuous or intermittentmovement, the tunnel containing one or more heating devices therein.

Therefore, the degree of heating of the wrappings in the heating stationcan be regulated both by adjusting the heating device, or the heatingdevices provided therein, and by adjusting the moving speed of thewrappings through the heating station and consequently the residencetime of the wrapping in the heating station.

In the example of the embodiment in FIGS. 8-10, the heat-shrinking ofthe sheet material constituting the wrapping 212 is obtained when thewrapping still has an open side, which allows the air to escape from thewrapping during the heat-shrinking of the wrapping. At the exit from theheating station, the wrapping therefore has the appearance shown in FIG.10, with the sheet material retracted against the cigarettes S containedin the wrapping, and one side of the wrapping still open.

In the case of the example illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, downstream of thestation, the wrappings 10 thus formed are carried through one or moresealing stations where the sealing of the wrappings is completed,bringing the edges of the open side of the wrapping into juxtaposedposition and forming a further sealed flange by heat sealing, so thatthe final wrapping, after sealing the last side of the wrapping, has theappearance that is shown in FIG. 11.

In a further embodiment, the sealing also of the last open side of thewrapping is carried out in the sealing station (or stations) upstream ofthe heating station or stations. Therefore, in this embodiment, thewrapping is heat-shrunk when it is already completely sealed, so thatthe air contained in the wrapping cannot escape from the wrapping duringthe wrapping retraction step. In this case the wrapping obtained has the“swollen” appearance shown in FIG. 11.

Once again, one of the essential features of the method consists in thefact of making the wrapping 10 with sheet material which at least partlycomprises heat-shrinkable material and in the fact of providing, alongthe wrapping forming process, a heating step such as to bring the sheetmaterial into a heat-shrunk condition, engaging around the smokingarticles contained in the wrapping.

According to an embodiment, a method for forming a wrapping 10 around agroup of smoking articles 214 or smoking material in general, comprisingthe step of folding a sheet material 212 around the group 214 of smokingarticles S, or the step of arranging smoking material within the sheetmaterial 212 after it has been folded.

Said method provides that said sheet material 212 comprises wholly orpartially heat-shrinkable material and that said process comprises astep of heating the sheet material 212.

Said heating step is such as to bring the sheet material 212 into aheat-shrinking condition around the group 214 of smoking articles S oraround the smoking material.

According to an embodiment; the method comprising the step of advancinga tape in the longitudinal direction of the tape through a cuttingstation, then through one or more stations for folding and loading thesmoking articles S or the smoking material, and then through one or moresealing stations so as to produce in succession a series of wrappings10, each having a group 214 of smoking articles S or smoking materialtherein. Downstream of said one or more stations for folding and loadingthe smoking articles or the smoking material, the wrappings 10 are madeto advance through one or more heating stations to cause theheat-shrinking of the wrappings around the contents thereof.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the drawer support according to theinvention solves the problem of maintaining the composition of thebundle consisting of the wrapping stable with the relative group ofsmoking articles during the transfer to the sealing station, as well asthe problem of allowing access to the sealing bodies.

In theory, an improvement in the stability of the bundle could beobtained by inserting an internal cardboard, folded in a U shape, so asto make a tray, but the internal cardboard involves a complication, anincrease in the cost of the wrapping and tends to absorb moisture fromthe product, thus altering the features that the sealed wrapping aims tomaintain.

As indicated above, the drawer support is an independent aspect of thepresent invention and can be used in any transport system forming partof any type of apparatus for forming wrappings for smoking articles.

Of course, moreover, without prejudice to the principle of theinvention, the details of construction and the embodiments may widelyvary with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely byway of example, without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

It should in particular be noted that the present invention applies notonly to the forming of wrappings intended to come into direct contactwith the smoking articles, but also to the forming of externalwrappings, intended to wrap packages for smoking articles or the like.

1. Method for producing wrappings for smoking articles and the like,comprising advancing the wrappings intermittently along a forming pathwhich includes a plurality of stations, of which at least one station isa sealing station for performing a sealing operation on the wrapping, sothat each wrapping continuously alternates a period of stop in a stationwith a period of movement between one station and a next station, saidmethod wherein: a first predetermined stop time is associated with atleast a first station of said stations and a second predetermined stoptime, greater than said first predetermined stop time, is associatedwith at least one second station of said stations, which is a sealingstation, said second station has a plurality of positions for operatingsimultaneously on a lot of the wrappings , between one stop and theother in said first station the wrappings advance with a single step,with a displacement that brings a wrapping to replace an immediatelyadjacent wrapping in the first station, and between one stop and thenext stop in said second station, the wrappings advance with a multiplestep, with a displacement that brings a whole lot of the wrappings toreplace an immediately adjacent lot of the wrappings in multiplepositions of the second station.
 2. Method according to claim 1,wherein: along the forming path, at least a first lot of the wrappingsis transported by a first conveyor device and at least a second lot ofthe wrappings is transported by a second conveyor device separated fromthe first conveyor device, each conveyor device is controlled withdifferent stop times and displacements depending on whether the lots ofthe wrappings transported by the conveyor device are located at saidfirst station or at said second station, when a lot transported by thefirst conveyor device is located at said first station, in the secondstation a lot is transported by the second conveyor device.
 3. Methodaccording to claim 2, wherein said separate conveyor devices are beltconveyors.
 4. Method according to claim 2, wherein said separateconveyor devices are wheel conveyors.
 5. Method according to claim 1,wherein all the wrappings are transported along the forming path by asame belt conveyor device, and wherein the support structure of theentire belt conveyor device is translatable intermittently with respectto a stationary structure between two extreme operating positions, alonga direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the belt conveyordevice, and wherein: the first station is located along a first branchof said belt conveyor device, and the second station is located along asecond branch of the belt conveyor device. the belt of the belt conveyordevice moves intermittently with a single step, with a movement thatbrings to the first station a wrapping immediately following thewrapping which was located before in the first station; movement of thesupport structure of the belt conveyor device takes place from a firstend position to a second end position in an intermittent manner, withsteps synchronous to the steps of the belt and of a length equal tolength of each step of the belt with respect to the support structure ofthe belt conveyor device, so that while a plurality of wrappings advancethrough the first station, the same lot of wrappings remains in thesecond station, the movement of the support structure of the beltconveyor device from the second end position to the first end positiontakes place with a single movement having a length as to cause areplacement of the entire lot of wrappings that was before in the secondstation with a new lot of wrappings.
 6. Method according to claim 1,wherein said second station with multiple positions has a periodicoperating step in which it is translated along said forming path so asto accompany a lot of said wrappings with equal speed of displacement intheir movement along the forming path, whereby the stop of said lot ofwrappings relative to said second station has a longer duration than thestop of each wrapping in the first station.
 7. Apparatus for producingwrappings for smoking articles and the like, comprising a conveyordevice for intermittently advancing the wrappings along a forming pathwhich includes a plurality of stations, of which at least one station isa sealing station, for performing a sealing operation on the wrapping,in such a way that each wrapping continuously alternates a period ofstop in a station with a period of movement between one station and theother, said apparatus wherein: said conveyor device is configured andcontrolled in such a way that a first predetermined stop time isassociated with at least a first station of said stations and a secondpredetermined stop time, greater than said first predetermined stoptime, is associated with at least one second station of said stations,which is a sealing station, said second station has multiple positionsfor operating simultaneously on a lot of wrappings, between one stop andthe other in said first station the conveyor device is configured andcontrolled to advance the wrappings with a single step, that is, with adisplacement that brings a wrapping to replace the immediately adjacentwrapping in the first station, and between one stop and the other insaid second station, the conveyor device is configured and controlled toadvance the wrappings with a multiple step, that is, with a displacementthat brings a whole lot of wrappings to replace an immediately adjacentlot in the multiple positions of the second station.
 8. Apparatusaccording to claim 7, wherein: the conveyor system comprises a firstconveyor device for transporting at least a first lot of wrappings alongthe forming path, and a second conveyor device, separated from the firstconveyor device, for transporting at least one second lot of wrappingsalong the forming path, each of the two conveyor devices is associatedwith a control device programmed for controlling the respective conveyordevice with different stop times and displacements depending on whetherthe lots of wrappings transported are located at said first station orat said second station, the two conveyor devices are configured so thatwhen a lot of wrappings transported by the first conveyor device islocated at said first station, in the second station a lot of wrappingsis transported by the second conveyor device.
 9. Apparatus according toclaim 8, wherein said separate conveyor devices are belt conveyors. 10.Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separate conveyor devicesare wheel conveyors.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein all thewrappings are transported along the forming path by a same belt conveyordevice, and wherein the support structure of the entire belt conveyordevice is translatable intermittently with respect to a stationarystructure between two extreme operating positions, along a directionparallel to the longitudinal direction of the belt conveyor device. 12.Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second station withmultiple positions is translatable along the forming path to accompany alot of said wrappings with equal speed of displacement in movement alongthe forming path, whereby the stop of said lot of wrappings relative tosaid second station has a longer duration than the stop of each wrappingin the first station.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein allthe wrappings are transported along the forming path by the sameconveyor device comprising a linear electric motor, with a statordefining a ring, or an elongated ring, on which a series of equipmentmove independently.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: theapparatus comprises a plurality of drawer supports each of the supportsreceiving and support a respective wrapping containing a respectivegroup of smoking articles during transport along said forming path andthrough said stations, each drawer support comprises at least one firstwall and at least one second wall parallel to each other and spacedapart, to define a space therebetween for containing the respectivegroup of smoking articles, said first wall and said second wall haveside portions in relief for the lateral containment of the respectivegroup of smoking articles within said containment space, said walls areconfigured and arranged so that the containment space definedtherebetween is open on two opposite sides and on a third front side, sothat said drawer support does not interfere with sealing operationscarried out on edges of the respective wrapping which protrude from saidsides of the containment space.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14,wherein said first wall is divided into two wall portions separated by aslit which extends over an entire length of the wall.